Succession Season 3 Discussion

[Skydog]

More great dialogue.
Spoiler: Was disappointed in Roman though. Obviously he has a juvenile bully streak to him but he also was always quick to mock the hypocritical immorality of his family. So I (naively, I guess) didn’t see him as someone with no moral center at all — as someone who would actively take steps to hook his (and the nation’s) wagon to an h emulator to just gain naked power?

I hope the show doesn’t take the oft used easy but uninteresting way to extend shows season after season - making the characters more and more dislikable/evil to the point you hope they all just die (think Billions). Shows that stick with flawed and conflicted characters are much more believable and interesting to watch. IMO.

[bundabergdevil]

Another strong episode this week IMO, with the best moments coming from Tom and Greg. Episode spoilers below so beware if you haven’t seen it.

Highlights for me:
3) Really surprised Shiv lost a power play to Roman. He seems to be the current Logan favorite (which is actually not a good spot to be in)

More great dialogue.
Spoiler: Was disappointed in Roman though. Obviously he has a juvenile bully streak to him but he also was always quick to mock the hypocritical immorality of his family. So I (naively, I guess) didn’t see him as someone with no moral center at all — as someone who would actively take steps to hook his (and the nation’s) wagon to an h emulator to just gain naked power?

I hope the show doesn’t take the oft used easy but uninteresting way to extend shows season after season - making the characters more and more dislikable/evil to the point you hope they all just die (think Billions). Shows that stick with flawed and conflicted characters are much more believable and interesting to watch. IMO.

RE Shiv --- She's been slowly compromising herself (or who she thought herself to be) for some time and her sense of entitlement has been exposed as her Achilles heel. I continue to think the powerful father-children character dynamics are just wonderfully thought out. Logan had to fight tooth and nail for everything he has and his kids will just never be faced with similar circumstances. Logan is an actual killer.

Disagree on Roman. I think he does have a moral center but its primarily allegiance to family. He's sided with and tried to protect dad, wanted to keep family squabble inside, and thought Shiv went too far w/ the public letter about Kendall. Beyond that, no, I don't think he cares about much, which is why he's perfect here. Media companies are ultimately businesses --- they are selling content to an audience they know VERY well. It is sometimes difficult to separate business and politics but a lot of folks at the top of companies like Fox, CNN, MSNBC, etc are much more concerned with making their $$$ than HOW they're making that $$$ and Roman gets that well.

RE the end of the show --- it's been reported it will end after Season 4. That would be good. Season 3 has been wonderful but agree it needs to conclude before spiraling into absurdity. The show has always been a shadow of real power families like the Murdochs and Kennedys. In taking the show into presidential power politics, and in particular the possibility that Waystar lurches to the right of the Overton Window* for its implicit endorsement of Mencken, they will have plenty of ground for ongoing sharp social commentary. I'm thinking now that the show would/should end w/ the coronation, er..election, of the next president and we get to see how Waystar stewards public sentiment during that process.

*I believe that is how one of the characters described it in this episode.

[bundabergdevil]

Not quite sure what to make of Sunday's episode. After a tense, well-executed first half of the season, this episode felt a little bit of a departure from what I thought was the primary story arc for the season. Clearly, the family dynamics are changing and bonds a-splitting but not sure what to make of where we're at, TBH.

[JasonEvans]

Not quite sure what to make of Sunday's episode. After a tense, well-executed first half of the season, this episode felt a little bit of a departure from what I thought was the primary story arc for the season. Clearly, the family dynamics are changing and bonds a-splitting but not sure what to make of where we're at, TBH.

Coming into the episode, I feel like I knew it would be a slog spending the whole time watching Kendall's birthday party turn into a train wreck. On a show where they frequently surprise and really ratchet up the tension, this ep felt pretty obvious.

Seems like they are going to bring Shiv over to Kendall's side at some point -- or at least have her break away from Logan and Roman. I feel like the show cannot decide if Roman is competent or a total buffoon. He seemed to do well luring Alexander Skarsgård into a meeting but I just cannot help but feel like he is getting in over his head. His boneheaded phone call with the President a few episodes back are what his character really is, I think.

I'm getting really tired of watching Kendall hit rock bottom. It is frustrating and repetitive. What was the deal with the watch his girlfriend gave him? Why did he freak out about it? I can't even begin to figure out why he had so many presents too. He's a billionaire, why did 100+ people bring him wrapped presents in boxes anyway? His speech patterns, with lots of catch phrases and jargon, are getting to me too. Kendall vs. Logan is the core of the show and it just doesn't feel like a fair or interesting fight at this point.

Greg getting a date with Kendall's hot assistant was probably the most interesting thing that happened on the episode... that's really saying something.

[mkirsh]

At this point it feels like the characters are stuck in a loop: Kendall is the pendulum swinging from optimism to lonely despair over and over again; Roman is trying really hard but is always in over his head (and I’m sure the streaming app guy is playing him to get a better deal elsewhere); Shiv is in the outer circle of whatever side she chooses; Tom is always a taken for granted afterthought; Logan will never cede control. This season just keeps reinforcing that. If someone can break the pattern then things will get more interesting.

[budwom]

At this point it feels like the characters are stuck in a loop: Kendall is the pendulum swinging from optimism to lonely despair over and over again; Roman is trying really hard but is always in over his head (and I’m sure the streaming app guy is playing him to get a better deal elsewhere); Shiv is in the outer circle of whatever side she chooses; Tom is always a taken for granted afterthought; Logan will never cede control. This season just keeps reinforcing that. If someone can break the pattern then things will get more interesting.

That was a party I'm glad I missed (my invitation got stuck in the mail). Meanwhile I never tire of Greg and Tom scenes, they are rather brilliant.

[Bostondevil]

That was a party I'm glad I missed (my invitation got stuck in the mail). Meanwhile I never tire of Greg and Tom scenes, they are rather brilliant.

Indeed.

I had a problem with both Tom and Kendall telling Greg that the hot assistant was out of his league. He's tall, good-looking, rich (he still is, Greenpeace or no), and connected to a powerful family - nobody is out of his league. He still might get shot down, but out of his league? Nah. The writing is usually very good on this show, but even Greg knew that line was BS. Both Tom and Kendall are way too aware of appearances not to realize that Greg has the goods. I get why Kendall tried to keep Greg away, so I'll chalk that up to a mind game, but Tom? Tom plays Greg way better than that. He needed to take a different approach if he wanted to mess with Greg and why would Tom care who Greg asks out? Greg came right back at him with a Shiv comment, so, yeah, Greg spied the BS.

[Bluedog]

Indeed.

I had a problem with both Tom and Kendall telling Greg that the hot assistant was out of his league. He's tall, good-looking, rich (he still is, Greenpeace or no), and connected to a powerful family - nobody is out of his league. He still might get shot down, but out of his league? Nah. The writing is usually very good on this show, but even Greg knew that line was BS. Both Tom and Kendall are way too aware of appearances not to realize that Greg has the goods. I get why Kendall tried to keep Greg away, so I'll chalk that up to a mind game, but Tom? Tom plays Greg way better than that. He needed to take a different approach if he wanted to mess with Greg and why would Tom care who Greg asks out? Greg came right back at him with a Shiv comment, so, yeah, Greg spied the BS.

I've seen it reported that the actor who plays Greg often lies about his height to get auditions as many shows don't want to hire a 6'7" guy as it messes up their camera work/shots and makes things look unbalanced. Glad they gave him a chance on this one. I agree that the Greg and Tom scenes are the best ones in the show probably -- as their dynamic is truly unique. Tom is also tall at something like 6'4".

I, too, was disappointed with the last episode and found it kinda blah...

[Skydog]

Ken appears to be bipolar. Manic episodes with wild flights of thought and action inevitably followed by depression.

[Billy Dat]

That was a party I'm glad I missed (my invitation got stuck in the mail). Meanwhile I never tire of Greg and Tom scenes, they are rather brilliant.

If you didn't have to hang out with the Roys, that party looked awesome! How often do you get to hang out in a specifically curated world built from the ground up for just that occasion? It would have been wild to continually walk through the compliment tunnel, not to mention all of the other spaces. Trying to get into the VIP treehouse would have been an adventure all its own.

Greg and Tom are always must see TV. When Tom spelled out the reason why he won Shiv, the one where he compared a certain part of his anatomy to a stupendously large tree, you had to love Greg's quick retort of, "Can you prove it?

Comfry is an all time ridiculous made-up name. I googled it and the closest word that pops up is comfrey which is a medicinal plant.

They have been expanding the "Roman is the most like Logan" theme all year and it came to fruition in that rough scene near the end when he was eviscerating Shiv and Kendall. Talk about going for the jugular. He sees that Kendall is so drugged that he can simply push him over, and he nailed Shiv with the, "You kind of wanted Tom to go to jail" stuff. The "Shiv can't dance" bit seemed a little ridiculous, I fail to believe that she has been so indulged her whole life that she thinks her pathetic dance moves are somehow good...she seems too self aware for that.

Kendall is in a pathetic spiral. One has to assume they'll give him a little shot of adrenaline before the end of the season.

One way to look at the show is that Logan has all his kids firing their guns in a circle at each other to ensure that he alone will remain the king. The Tuscany wedding should be a great send off.

[budwom]

I could see the other siblings deciding to push Roman off a high balcony some time given the frequency with which he craps on them in the nastiest of manners.

[Skydog]

I could see the other siblings deciding to push Roman off a high balcony some time given the frequency with which he craps on them in the nastiest of manners.

I like it - the episode practically writes itself. Especially if milquetoast Connor does the shoving. I want to see the shocked faces, first Roman’s as he’s going over and then Shiv and Ken and finally Connor himself as they all realize what has just happened. When they finally come to their senses they realize they have to cover it up. So they plan how they are going to tell Dad and argue about whether they will throw Conner under the bus. Roy is furious of course but he’s going to protect his name and his remaining kids so he tells them what they are all going to do. From that moment on Shiv and Ken look at Connor in a different, more respectful way. They also avoid balconies when Connor is around.

[bundabergdevil]

Speaking of Connor, did the actor break his arm up n real life or was that just a random add-on to help the coat bit?

[Skydog]

Speaking of Connor, did the actor break his arm up n real life or was that just a random add-on to help the coat bit?

Good question. I’m guessing it was from real life - seems too weird and pointless to write in for dramatic purposes.

[budwom]

I like it - the episode practically writes itself. Especially if milquetoast Connor does the shoving. I want to see the shocked faces, first Roman’s as he’s going over and then Shiv and Ken and finally Connor himself as they all realize what has just happened. When they finally come to their senses they realize they have to cover it up. So they plan how they are going to tell Dad and argue about whether they will throw Conner under the bus. Roy is furious of course but he’s going to protect his name and his remaining kids so he tells them what they are all going to do. From that moment on Shiv and Ken look at Connor in a different, more respectful way. They also avoid balconies when Connor is around.

The siblings will all tell the cops that Cousin Greg pushed Roman.

[Bostondevil]

Good question. I’m guessing it was from real life - seems too weird and pointless to write in for dramatic purposes.

Good call and yes, real life injury.

https://etcanada.com/news/842651/ala...-a-broken-arm/

[budwom]

Good call and yes, real life injury.

https://etcanada.com/news/842651/ala...-a-broken-arm/

snow shoveling injury. Highly undramatic.

[Skydog]

The siblings will all tell the cops that Cousin Greg pushed Roman.

[Succession - basement tapes version continues]
Unbeknownst to the rest, Tom observed Conner’s surprising violence from a distance. Instinctively he keeps his knowledge secret, even from Shiv. He now has another powerful arrow in his quiver, a surprise weapon to help him survive his trek through the Logan/Waystar minefield.

The question of when and how Tom will use his secret info is put to the test straight away when a very panicked Greg reaches out to him, desperate for help. What will Tom do? Use his knowledge to save Greg from going to jail for a crime he didn’t commit? Use it to even up the power imbalance in his marriage? Or keep it to be used layer as leverage to gain more power at Waystar?

[bundabergdevil]

Good call and yes, real life injury.

https://etcanada.com/news/842651/ala...-a-broken-arm/

Nice find! Thought it was out of place in the episode.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

This wasn't my favorite episode, but I enjoyed it. Skaarsgard's tech genius was a good character. And you knew Roman was going to go for it, get a deal, and then be a total jerk.

Ken's party itself was an overblown hot mess, like we knew it would be. Him having a meltdown and tantrum while discussing lunch boxes and nostalgia was properly on the nose. Dumping through presents looking for the one thing that means something...

These kids are all horrible, but we knew that.

I assume there's some sort of massive twist coming soon. Seems like everything is on the table - deaths, firings, romance, etc. Probably no dragons.

Also, pro tip, this season has NINE EPISODES. So next week is the penultimate showing.